TOWARD A SCIENCE OF CONSCIOUSNESS 2011  - STOCKHOLM

MAY 3-7, 2011

WORKSHOP - Synesthesia Sunday 

UPDATED SCHEDULE / SYNESTHESIA WORKSHOP 

Northern Lights: Expanding the Lexicon of Synesthesia    

May 1 - Full Day

Time and Location: TBA

SCHEDULE

WORKSHOP - Synesthesia

Sunday, May 1 - Full Day

9:00 am – 5:15 pm

Time and Location: TBA

Chair, Maureen Seaberg

Participants:  

William C Bushell, Neil Theise, MD, Patricia Lynne Duffy, Michael Sollberger

Nancy Clark, Daniel Meyer-Dinkgräfe, Alexandra Kirschner, Jason Padgett,

Carrie C Firman, Ezgi Sorman, Berit Brogaard, Dirk Proeckl, Engelbert Winkler

Synesthesia, as it is defined now, is "a sensation that normally occurs in one sense modality occuring when another modality is stimulated." But what of the lit quality of the photisms synesthetes see? And what of the colors they often associate with things like numbers, letters and music? And then there are their prodigious memories – aided by this color, which acts like a mnemonic… And what of the landscapes that they see, alphabets sometimes climbing upwards or calendars encircling them in their mind's eyes? What about their empathic experiences? Or their facility with metaphor?  Or their ability to identify other synesthetes? Or their perfect musical pitch? Join both researchers and actual synesthetes in their quest to show a great diversity of experience and evidence toward broadening the current view of what it means to have synesthesia.     Maureen Seaberg

9:00 - 9:05   Introductory Remarks by Dr. Stuart Hameroff, Director, The Center for Consciousness Studies at the University of Arizona, Tucson

9:05 -9:10    Expanding the Lexicon of Synesthesia - Why Synesthesia's Definition Needs Updating  - brief remarks and introduction

                       of speakers by Maureen Seaberg , a NYC-based journalist , author and synesthete.

 9:10 - 9:45   William C Bushell, Director of East-West Research Tibet House, NYC: “Neuroscientific and Quantum Physical Approach

                       to Advanced Buddhist Mindfulness Meditation: Perceptual Learning, Neuroplasticity, Texture, Fractals, and Synesthesia.

                       A Model In-Progress.”                                                     

 9:45-10:20     Neil Theise, practicing physician, stem cell pioneer and synesthete, NYC: “Complexity theory and the ‘science of being’:

                          The relationship of insights from scientific and contemplative practices of investigation.”

10:20- 10:55   Michael Sollberger, philosopher, Lausanne, Switzerland: “Rethinking Synesthesia.”

10:55-11:25    Berit Brogaard, neuroscientist, philosopher and synesthete, St. Louis, “The Superhuman Mind: From Synesthesia

                          to Savant Syndrome.”

11:25-12:00    Patricia Lynne Duffy, author and synesthete, NYC, "The Landscapes of Synesthesia: a talk” and a reading from her

                          book, Blue Cats and Chartreuse Kittens: How Synesthetes Color their Worlds.

12:00-1:00      Lunch

1:00-1:30        Nancy Clark, psychotherapist ,medical intuitive and author, Tucson, AZ: “Evolving Perceptions.”

1:30-2:00        Ezgi Sorman, healer, synesthete, Deepak Chopra protégé, Istanbul, Turkey:  “Hearing with my Hands,

                          Seeing with my Heart and Healing with Prana -the Universal Energy.”

2:00-2:30        Carrie C Firman, artist/designer and synesthete, Buffalo, NY:  “Art as Inquiry.”

2:30-3:00        Daniel Meyer -Dinkgräfe, Professor of Drama, University of Lincoln, UK: “Synesthesia in Drama and Theatre.”

3:00-3:15        Break

3:15-3:45        Dirk Proeckl and Engelbert Winkler, Tyrol, Austria:  “The Hypnagogic Light Experience – and Synesthesia.”

3:45- 4:15       Alexandra Kirschner, voice instructor and synesthete, Stuttgart, Germany: “Synesthesia and Singing: A Challenge.”

4:15- 4:45       Jason Padgett, mathematician, synesthete and savant, Federal Way, Washington:  “Geometric Synesthesia.”

4:45- 5:15       Maureen Seaberg:  “Can Synesthetes be Identified by Their Written and Spoken Word?” including a reading from her

                         new  book on synesthesia, Tasting the Universe.